a. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor devices, and particularly to integrated photonic semiconductor devices.
b. Background of Invention
The use of both photonic devices in high-speed switching and transceiver devices in data communications are but a few examples that highlight the advantages of processing both optical and electrical signals within a single integrated device. For example, an integrated photonic device may include both photodetector and CMOS type devices that may be fabricated on a single substrate. As such, while engaging in the fabrication of one type of device (i.e., photonic devices); other device types (i.e., CMOS devices) may be impacted. In addition to mitigating adverse effects associated with the different fabrication processes corresponding to each type of device (i.e., photonic/CMOS devices), facilitating increased device performance within an integrated photonic semiconductor device structure may be desirable.
It may therefore, among other things, be advantageous to fabricate, within an integrated photonic device, photodetector device structures that have enhanced performance characteristics.